LESSON 1: Hip Lick #4 (aka The Honeysuckle Rose Lick)
Hip Lick #4 (from Hip Licks for Saxophone Volume 1) is analyzed from a melodic and harmonic standpoint. Includes exercises to improve your ear through the addition of chord arpeggios added to the lick. Also features a section on using the lick to improve your high-speed chops with a technique called the “Speed Bag.” Greg also demonstrates various ways of playing the lick in different keys, as well as placing the lick in songs. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 2: The Three Middle D’s of the Saxophone
One of the ways that the master players customize their sound is to use alternate fingerings, adding or subtracting weight to certain notes. This approach adds incredible detail to your lines. In this video, Greg demonstrates the three fingerings for middle D and also explains the musical reasons for choosing one fingering over another. PDF notes for this lesson include fingerings and written examples of the lines played in the video. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 3: State Street ALTO
Greg gives a detailed analysis of “State Street” from Jazz Saxophone Etudes Volume 1. Includes tips on high speed playing, note groupings, chord substitution and moving sevenths. ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 4: State Street TENORGreg gives a detailed analysis of “State Street” from Jazz Saxophone Etudes Volume 1. Includes tips on high speed playing, note groupings, chord substitution and moving sevenths. ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 5: Road Tips – The F = ?Greg shows how to keep your mind focused and sharp even when you’re away from the horn. This music theory game involves thinking of the note “F” as different degrees of major scales.

LESSON 1: The Cycle – Red & Blue Card System by Greg Fishman
In this video lesson, I share my unique system for learning the cycle by combining two whole-tone scales. While I’ve shared this concept of using these scales in a previous video, I’ve had many requests to demonstrate my “shuffled cards” analogy on camera.

This lesson takes the cycle and puts it on a visual plane, making it very easy to remember. If you’ve ever had any difficulty with memorizing the cycle, this video will immediately clear things up! Be sure to have your instrument out so that you can play along as I hold up the cards and explain how the two decks will combine to form the cycle. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL.

LESSON 2: Speedbag with Major 2nds
Speedbag with Major 2nds
In this video lesson, I work with page 23 from my book, “Intervals in Action,” to show you how I use the “speedbag” technique with Major 2nd intervals to increase and improve the speed, accuracy and control of my technique on the saxophone. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED LEVEL. Includes a PDF of the page from the book that was used in the video.

LESSON 3: Major 2nd Video Lesson – Intervals in Action
In this video lesson, I demonstrate many different practice strategies for working with Section 1 of the book “Intervals in Action.” Topics covered include: Creating new rhythms, playing the intervals in a 5/4 time, playing in retrograde (backwards), playing in tritone pairs, and more! Includes a PDF of the full page used in the video lesson. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED.

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LESSON 1: Hip Lick #1 Video Lesson
In this video, we’ll explore a simple technique for creating variations on Hip Lick #1. This is part of a concept that I call “High Mileage.” High Mileage means that you have the ability to create many variations on any lick or pattern. This is a very important skill for any improvisor, and one of the major differences between the aspiring player and the professional…the pro can easily create variations on a theme, while the aspiring player just keeps repeating the same exact lick. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 2: The “Speed Bag” for Fast Technique
In this video, I demonstrate a technique with I developed in my own practice sessions. I call it the “Speed Bag,” named for the small punching bag that boxers use to train for speed. I found that a continuous motion of notes gave me improved fluency of technique and increased speed ability. In this video, I use Hip Lick #1 to demonstrate the concept, but you can use this technique with any lick, prase or pattern. Watch this video to see one of the ways that I work on my high-speed chops. ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 3: Minor 7b5 Chords – Piano Accompaniment Video
In this video lesson, I play the piano to accompany your practicing the minor 7b5 chords in all four directions: 1. UP 2. DOWN 3. UP/DOWN ALTERNATING and 4. DOWN/UP ALTERNATING. Play your saxophone along with this piano accompaniment and match the pitch and time of the piano. This is excellent training for the chords, and it will drastically improve your tone, pitch and time. Everything is played at a comfortable eighty-eight beats per quarter note, so it will not present a technical challenge. I have included full notation of the entire exercise for Concert, Eb Alto and Bb Tenor. To ensure your success as an improvising musician, it is absolutely essential that you learn these chords by memory and practice them daily. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL.

LESSSON 4: Diminished 7th Chords – Piano Accompaniment Video
In this video lesson, I play the piano to accompany your practicing the diminished 7th chords in all four directions: 1. UP 2. DOWN 3. UP/DOWN ALTERNATING and 4. DOWN/UP ALTERNATING. Play your saxophone along with this piano accompaniment and match the pitch and time of the piano. This is excellent training for the chords, and it will drastically improve your tone, pitch and time. Everything is played at a comfortable eighty-eight beats per quarter note, so it will not present a technical challenge. I have included full notation of the entire exercise for Concert, Eb Alto and Bb Tenor. To ensure your success as an improvising musician, it is absolutely essential that you learn these chords by memory and practice them daily. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL.

LESSON 5: Road Tips – The Db = ?
Greg shows how to keep your mind focused and sharp even when you’re away from the horn. This music theory game involves thinking of the note “Db” as different degrees of major scales. This note is a bit of a challenge, because it will sometimes be necessary to respell the scale to fit the note. For example, The key of Bb has “D” for the third note. So, that means that Bbb would have a “Db” for the third note. The problem is, that’s a “hypothetical” scale…it doesn’t really exist, because we can’t have double flats in the major scale system. So, it becomes necessary to respell the “Db” as a “C#,” which would give you that pitch acting as the third note in an A major scale. This can be confusing at first, but if you familiarize yourself with enharmonic spellings, it will get easier and easier for you to hear and place the Db (C#) as any degree of a major scale.

LESSON 1: Hearing Your Way Down a 7th Chord
This video lesson will help you to improve your ability to play descending chords (7-5-3-1). Many aspiring players have no problem playing ascending chords (1-3-5-7), but playing that same chord backwards (descending) presents a real challenge. In this video, I explain why the descending chords can be more difficult for some players, and I share my unique approach to help you hear your way down the chords. Includes PDF lesson notes. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED LEVEL

LESSON 2: 3 Four Contours of 3rds Over a ii / V / I Progression
In this video lesson, I’ll show you how to highlight the third of each chord in a ii / V / I progression to create lines with four different contours. These contours have a powerful effect on the type of melodic line you’ll create. This lesson also shares tips for creating rhythmic and melodic variations in your phrases. If you ever feel like you play good notes in your solos, but your phrases are lacking in clarity of direction, this lesson is exactly what you need to take things to the next level. Includes detailed PDF lesson notes. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

LESSON 3: Hip Lick #7 Video Lesson
In this video lesson, I’ll show you how to work with Hip Lick #7 from my book, Hip Licks for Saxophone, Volume 1. This is a ii mi7 – V7 lick. It’s a one-measure lick with a nice seven-to-three voiceleading move included. Very easy to play, and it nails the changes. Includes tips on hearing the roots of the chords while playing the lick, working the lick in 12 keys and creating a nice variation on the lick. PDF lesson notes included. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL.

LESSSON 4: 4 Note Tape Measure® Scales
In this video, I demonstrate the four note tape measure scales. This is the first four notes of each major scale, played in the cycle. I play the four notes in four directions: 1. Up 2. Down 3. Up/Down 4. Down/Up. I also discuss and demonstrate some different phrasing techniques for the four note scales, as well as playing each grouping twice for a technical workout. Includes PDF Lesson notes. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 1: Hip Lick #8 – Video Lesson
In this video lesson, I’ll show you how to work with Hip Lick #8 from my book, Hip Licks for Saxophone, Volume 1.

This is a popular ii mi7 – V7 lick that starts on the 7th of the mi7 chord. Also includes a brief theory discussion about ii / V chords. PDF includes detailed practice notes as well as the lick written out in all 12 keys plus. INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED LEVEL.

LESSON 2: Embracing the 4th of the chord
In this video lesson, I demonstrate how I like to use the 4th of the scale or chord to create tension and then resolve the note to the 3rd or 5th. Many aspiring players have been told that the 4th is an “avoid note.” This is very bad advice because all players need to know how to deal with this note when it comes up. You can’t just ignore it or avoid it.

I recall that I was given this advice in school, only to put on a Sonny Stitt record and hear him using the 4th extensively, especially over dominant chords. Includes detailed PDF lesson notes for C, Bb and Eb instruments. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL.

LESSON 3: How to get a full tone on the Palm Keys
Many group members have written to me, asking for a video lesson teaching them how to get a big, powerful sound on their palm keys. In this video, I share my unique approach to getting a full, big tone on the palm keys.

The video features a demonstration of the “pro” approach and the “amateur” approach to the palm keys. In this lesson, I explain and explore the reasons for the thin, pinched sound of the aspiring player, and I show you how to fix these problems by shifting your tongue and throat position and changing your air support.

If you’ve ever had trouble getting a nice sound on your palm keys, this video will be transformative. Includes PDF lesson notes. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

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